It Won't Be Soon Before Long
by RoseLaurel
Summary: After a passionate summer 'fling', Derek, Aaron and Spencer decide to leave their relationship and the past and resume life as though it had never happened. Will they be able to cope, or has fate got other plans? DMxSRxAH, MxMxM Threesome, sexual references, smut, fluff, and a writer who is just getting back into writing. Rated M for safety, probably could pass as T.
1. Better That We Break

A/N

I'm sorry, know it's been a long time, my life is one problem after another at the moment. But I'm looking back at some old fics and starting to get back into my writing… Ok. So, every chapter in this fic is based on a song by Maroon 5 from their album It Won't Be Soon before Long (hence, the title). The quotes will also be quoted from the song the chapter is based on. There are mild references to the song, but whether or not you decide to listen to it shouldn't have any effect on the story, although I would recommend looking them up :) Well, there isn't much else to say except Read, Enjoy and please please please Review!

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Chapter One: Better That We Break

POV: None

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"_**It's not right, not ok  
To say the words that you say  
Maybe it's better that we break…"**_

Spencer Reid gazed longingly out of his kitchen window, wondering just where time went when it had passed. It was a stupid question, he knew that, but nevertheless he couldn't help asking. Maybe if he knew where it went, he wouldn't be stuck there thinking about how cruel time could be…

It was after a gruelling case and, as cliché as this all sounds, they were all tired and in need of comfort. Spencer had been unlucky enough to get injured, and was instructed to stay off work for two weeks after being released from hospital to ensure he had recovered from concussion and until the wound, which had needed 5 stitches, was healed. This clashed with a week of personal leave Hotch was taking so he could spend time with Jack following his divorce, but Jack had fallen ill with the flu and Hayley insisted on rescheduling. Annoyed, Hotch stayed on his personal leave, and he and Spencer grew close. When Hotch returned to work, Morgan was off with the flu, and Reid looked after him. That was about as much as the young genius was clear on… the rest of the two months was a blur. In that time the three had grown closer than anything… they were an item. They hadn't all been at work together at the same time in two months due to varying factors, and the past two weeks had been a whole team vacation that Rossi had insisted on. But tomorrow they were to go back to work… And they had agreed that they couldn't go on being together…  
Agreed: a past participle verb meaning 'to think or say the same as'.  
That's what the dictionary says. Reality says something completely different.  
Compromise: noun, a settlement of differences in which each side gives up something it has previously demanded.  
Reality says these two words mean more or less the same thing… Spencer didn't want to leave his partners… but he had to. He remembered last night, how Derek was laid against Aaron's side an arm draped over his shoulders whilst the elder profiler's left arm wrapped around the dark males waist. Spencer had been snuggled up in Aarons lap, both Aaron and Derek's free arms enveloping him. He had fallen asleep there… and woken up alone in his cold bed early that morning. But he couldn't think about that right now… he had to work. To pretend nothing had been going on. It wouldn't be easy… but… it was necessary… he had to at least pretend that he thought it was better off this way.

Aaron continued to stare at his bedroom ceiling even after the alarm clock had finished shrieking in his ear. He hadn't slept a wink. He was too busy thinking about the past two months… Every time he had tried to get comfortable, he had visions of Derek's strong arms holding him close as they watched their young partner drift contently into a peaceful slumber in his lap, an adorable smile and faint blush playing on his smooth features. Each time he turned out the lights he remembered turning out the lights in Spencer's room as dark cherry lips crashed against his in one last passionate kiss before the two went to get their coats. Whenever he attempted to close his eyes, images of walking away from Spencer's door swarmed his mind, how he hadn't even given Spencer one last kiss before leaving… how he watched as Derek mounted his bike and hesitated before speeding away, as if he had to go as fast as he could lest some unnamed force drag him back through the young males door and into his warm awaiting embrace… and how he finally managed to tear his eyes away from the bedroom window and slowly make the drive back to his own rented apartment. He attempted in vain to leave these illustrations behind him by taking Nytol and staring at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to overcome him… something he was still waiting for as he grabbed a piece of toast, gulped down his coffee and made his way to the BAU to start off the morning's paperwork and pray to some superior being he wasn't entirely sure he believed in that there wouldn't be a case. Still he was trying to persuade himself that it was better off this way.

The alarm clock screeched and vibrated on the nightstand, reminding him, yet again, that he should get up and get ready for work and, yet again, Derek found himself hitting that all too tempting, irresistible snooze button and rolling over, refusing to open his eyes. Why did alarm clocks even_ have_ a _snooze button_? Alarms were set to get you up in the morning, and having a button sat there staring up at you with the promises of a longer sleep… it was just too persuasive…as the screeching started up again, Derek cracked open an eye and glared at the irritating object before falling out of bed. 7:32am… he was running late! But… he had been having the most amazing dream. In his dream, he and Aaron had woken up their young lover to say goodbye, and Spencer had begged them not to leave… he was just so alluring, and the three of them made passionate love, swearing never to think about leaving each other again… And god, that dream was full of mind blowing sex! It was at that moment that Derek's attention was drawn to his aching erection, and he had no choice but to relieve himself before getting ready for work. After all, a cold shower wasn't going to help when in a short amount of time he was going to be face to face with the objects of his desires and fantasies… but no matter how much it pained him, it was better this way. They were better off this way…

Hotch gazed out of his office window and down into the busy bullpen. He hadn't noticed it start filling up with people until JJ had come in with a couple of case files for him to look at. Derek was late, he noted, by about 45 minutes… he was debating whether or not to let it slide when the muscular male entered the office.

"Hey Hotch, sorry I'm late." He tried to ignore the pain it caused to hear his boyfriend… ex-boyfriend… being so formal again.

"Is everything ok?" Morgan tried not to flinch as Hotch spoke as if he had no recollection of their time together.

"No, sir. Just a bit of traffic." Both of the males turned their gaze away for fear of what they may find in the other's eyes, and said nothing more as Morgan left the office. He could feel Spencer's gaze upon him as he made his way down the stairs and sat at his desk. Morgan couldn't meet his eyes either. Reid understood, he was also afraid. The eyes are said to be the gateway to the soul, and the soul can be a scary place when you are trying to avoid the truth, especially when the truth works against you whatever it may be. Even when he found himself in the break room with both of his former partners, none of them would meet each others eyes. Reid knew why he couldn't. If he was to look into Derek or Aaron's eyes and still see the love and adoration he saw when they were together, he wouldn't be able to bear being away from them, living this lie they didn't loved each other… but if he were to look in their eyes and see none of that love… none of that adoration… he would break down. The thought that they could be over him so quickly… that the past two months may have held no meaning whatsoever…

"Something wrong, Reid?" No playful nickname or dazzling grin from the dark male, just 'Reid'. Plastering a faux smile across his face, Spencer shook his head

"No, I'm fine."

"Ok." And that's how the rest of the day went. And the day after that. And the day after that. Spencer thought about breaking. Whenever he was alone in the bullpen, knowing that Aaron was in the office just a short distance away… whenever he glanced into the training rooms and saw Derek, shirt clinging to his toned chest and abs, looking so hot as he stood there flexing his muscles… and whenever he was by himself, alone in his apartment wishing for the warmth of his beloved's arms around him… he was going to break, he knew he couldn't last much longer and had hyped himself up to get his love's back that Wednesday, a little over a week after their 'break up'… but then it started happening. He was filled with the dread that he was going insane… now he was sure that they were better off this way.

On Wednesday when Spencer entered the bullpen, he didn't spare Morgan or Hotch a glance, just sat and began working. Morgan's brow creased with worry as he realised the young genius was an hour and a half late, and he listened as intently as he could as Hotch crept over to the brunette's desk and asked him why this was. He couldn't hear the whole reply, but the few words he got –_ ill… doctor… weekly appointments…_- alongside the unit chief's worried frown were enough to confirm his fear. Something was _very_ wrong with their Pretty Boy… no, not their Pretty Boy. Reid. Something was wrong with Reid… he spent the rest of the day doing his best to fight the urge to trap the young genius in a corner, ask him what was wrong, comfort him then kiss him senseless. So when it came time to leave, Morgan shot out of the bureau and went straight home. Hotch was still in his office, feeling suffocated by his workload as he ploughed through the monstrous paper mountain before him. At 7:55 he decided to take the bulk of it home with him, but stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Reid standing out in the rain, just standing there, almost as if he was possessed or frozen in place. He looked cold, so pale and fragile that he could have been made of finely blown glass, but before Aaron could call out to him he shot off around the corner and was gone, slipped into a taxi. He considered stopping the taxi, offering Spencer a lift himself, but then he thought of Hayley. He knew she would disapprove of him being gay, let alone with two other men… but her disapproval didn't mean as much to him as the fact that she may stop him seeing Jack… and he was certain that she would hate the idea of his relationship, his finding happiness elsewhere, so much that she _would_ try and stop him from seeing Jack if she found out… so instead, he just got into his own car and headed to his own cold, lonely apartment to finish his paperwork.

The sound of fizzing sliced through the silence as Morgan cracked open another can and gulped down the golden liquid before throwing the tin carcass onto a pile of several others. He wasn't drunk – four of the cans on the pile had been from the night before. He had only just finished his fourth for this night… yet he craved another. Not because it tasted nice, because he fancied alcohol, or even because he was thirsty, but because it was the only thing that would relax him enough to get his mind off of Aaron and Spencer and help him get to sleep. Not that his dreams were safe from them either… what he needed was a more permanent distraction… failing that, maybe he should start clubbing again? Drown his sorrows with a few no-strings-attached nights of harmless fun, rather than dwell on what could have been whilst throwing away his money for a six pack a night. Besides, it wasn't like anyone would be suspicious. It was natural for him, no one cared if he was being a player, but he knew how much shit he'd get from being in a relationship with not one but _two_ men. He knew he'd have to hide a relationship like that in order to prevent trouble. And he wasn't sure he'd be able to live like that… he was snapped out of his thoughts as his house phone began to ring. Waiting until the answer machine started, he walked over to see who was calling, confused when no message was left, and the number was withdrawn. Brushing it off as a sales call, he was decided. This coming Friday he would go clubbing, and he would go _wild_.

Spencer stood in silence, nervously chewing his lower lip and debating calling again. His hand lay on the phone trembling slightly before he managed to rip himself away and retreat to his kitchen for a drink. Quietly he poured himself a glass of water and took out his medicine. It was a natural medicine, no narcotics, that was supposed to help relax his brain and relieve stress. His doctor had offered to make house calls if he needed him- something that, surprisingly, he was seriously considering. Part of him wanted to call Derek and Aaron and see if they'd stay with him… but that wouldn't be a good idea. He didn't want them to feel obliged into 'looking after him'. He would just be a burden. It seemed like the troubled genius would have to settle for asking his doctor over if he needed company, because he doubted he'd be able to get through this alone… especially if it really was schizophrenia…

"_**I'm not fine, I'm in pain!  
It's harder every day  
Maybe we're better off this way  
It's better that we break."**_


	2. Until You're Over Me

A/N  
As always, Read, Enjoy, Review

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Chapter Two: Until You're Over Me  
POV: Hotch

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"_**I cannot refuse your eyes  
Please don't look at me tonight  
Heart beats fast I know you're there  
I pretend like I don't care"**_

There were only three times in his life that Hotch could remember feeling truly conflicted. The first was when his brother told him he didn't want to go to Georgetown. Part of him had felt disappointed, betrayed even, whilst another part felt a tinge of jealousy, and yet another part held what could only be described as a brotherly love, a thankfulness that Sean was able to choose his own path without their father's shadow looming over him forcing his hand.

The second was during his divorce. He had seen it coming, sure, and part of him wanted to break down into cascades of sobs and hide away in a corner, something he would never admit to, of course. Another part of him was afraid, scared of losing his son, scared of falling into that trap Rossi had described after the Long Island case, being all alone and wondering whatever happened to the most precious thing in his life. However… there was that one voice, the quietest, the guiltiest, and the one he let no one else hear. The voice saying that he didn't belong with Hayley anyway, that her demanding divorce was a blessing in disguise…

The third was today. That day as he lay in bed waiting for his alarm to go off, he lay thinking of Derek and Spencer. Their relationship was over, but it still hurt like hell. He had thought that, just like the two times before, if he sat back and let things run their course the conflict would soon fade, and he would have some peace of mind. Instead the pain only got worse as the seconds ticked by, making each hour he was away from them seem like a lifetime… but he couldn't break. He knew he had to get over them – there was no other choice. So, as his alarm screamed at him to get up out of bed, he vowed to himself that today would be different. Today he would spare no longing glances into the bullpen; today he would not be getting extra cups of coffee just to be close to them; today he would be SSA Aaron Hotchner, Unit Chief and nothing more. At least… that was the plan.

But as the day went on his patience for it to end grew thin. He was doing well – it was noon and he hadn't spared a glance for Reid or Morgan all morning. Hell, he was growing so confident he was sure that he could go the entire day without seeing them! He was trying to convince himself that this was a good thing as he called for the person knocking at the door to enter. When he looked up, all confidence faded and his heart thrust itself against his ribcage like a sledge hammer against a concrete wall, cracking his defences and causing him to have to push his inner walls to keep them standing. A pair of deep puppy brown eyes watched him curiously for a moment before turning to the folders the young man had in his hand.  
"Hi Hotch… I… uh… think some of our files got mixed up this morning…" It was a mistake. Everything was a mistake, he shouldn't have left them, he should have stayed, those eyes… those deep brown beautiful eyes that held so much respect, adoration, innocence, they revealed everything to him, they showed him what path he should take, they-  
"Oh… yeah. Thank you." He couldn't look at them. He could not resist those eyes, and silently he was begging Spencer to turn his caring gaze away, to focus on an object or poster and look away from the conflicted unit chief. _Please… please don't look at me… I can not refuse your eyes… please don't look at me…_

"Hotch? Can… I have my files?" He gave a quick nod, rooting through his pile and passing the folders, simultaneously restraining himself from touching the beautiful male before him and mentally shouting at his heart that he was not interested. This was not love, it was lust. Just lust. Or was it? He could hear Reid's honey voice drifting musically to his ears, but could make out no words as his mind took a different turn. He felt his heart beat faster and faster, reminding him who was standing there in front of him, and his thoughts danced around the prospect of grabbing hold of the young man, kissing those full, pouty lips until the brunette was breathless before pushing him down onto the sofa and exploring his delicate body, feeling every inch of his smooth skin, marking every inch of what was his, tearing off those intruding clothes and-  
"Aaron? …Aaron! We need to talk." Hotch was brutally ripped from his fantasy only to find the tantalizingly soft features he was daydreaming about replaced by the hard, stoic face of one David Rossi.  
"D-Dave? Uh… Hello. Where did Sp- Reid go?"

"He left the room five minutes ago. That's what we need to talk about; you've been acting weirdly around Reid and Morgan since we all came back to work. Is there something going on? Are you and Morgan arguing?" He didn't stand up for two reasons. The first was that he would then be unable to hide the aching result of his fantasy. The second was that he was in shock…what did Rossi know?

"Why would anything be going on?"

"Aaron…" the older profiler shut the office door and sat in front of his friend "You obviously have a… a 'thing' for Reid. Everyone is at a different degree of suspicion about it, but I think it's only Garcia and I who have caught on. We also know, however, that Morgan has a 'thing' for Reid. I'm sure I don't have to tell you how two alpha males competing for a single resource leads to trouble."

"Spencer is not a 'resource'!"

"Spencer?" Hotch froze. Damn that tricky Italian. He was too busy thinking of how to deal with these rumours and problems to listen to Rossi's lecture on how this 'rivalry' and 'pursuit' would be a bad idea. He just nodded as Rossi droned on, and paid the courtesy of sparing him a glance now and then. "I can see you have a lot to think about." He announced finally "I'll leave you to think. Oh, and Aaron?" The older male paused before opening the door "Next time you decide to have sexual fantasies in your office: lock the damn door!"

…  
…Damn that Italian.

The rich liquid exploded in his mouth before coursing down his throat with scorching heat and settling happily in his stomach. Sighing, Aaron reached for the bottle of bourbon and poured himself another glass in an attempt to drown the aching pain in his chest. He could deny his love for Derek and Spencer all he wanted, but it would not go away, and he could hide it no longer. The team would find out. Hayley knew. She had come to drop Jack off earlier that evening for the weekend, but had stuck around to complain about something Aaron couldn't recall the details of. Seeing Jack had just renewed his vow to himself never to look back, to forget the time he had had with the two men, but Hayley had stumbled upon something he had forgotten was there…

_"What's this?" Aaron was too busy settling Jack into his new room to care about what Hayley was saying, but when he walked into the living room and saw how red in the face she was he thought she may just be the Devil.  
"What?" _

"_Jack isn't staying here." He prayed he had heard her wrong_

"_Excuse me?"_

"_JACK! Pack your things back up, you can't stay here this weekend!" Confused, the profiler tried to stop them from leaving, desperate not to lose his son.  
"Hayley? Hayley! What is it? Hayley, stop!" The infuriated woman just turned with the fires of hell burning in her eyes and threw three photographs at him before climbing into her car and driving off, Jack pressed against the window of the backseat close to tears as he got further away. Looking down, Aaron's heart fell, smashed and burned. The first picture was at the bar. A sneaky shot that Spencer took when Derek and Aaron weren't looking. They weren't looking because they were too busy dancing, close together, the picture taken only moments before they crashed together in a fiery, passionate kiss. The second was Derek and Aaron getting their own back, wanting to get a shot of Aaron tossing Spencer into a lake fully clothes. Instead Spencer had managed to keep hold of Aaron, and the picture showed both of them dripping wet in the lake, him pinning the young genius to the bank and the brunette wrapping his legs and arms around him. He couldn't help but smile slightly at the memory. Straight after Derek had seemed so jealous that both the soaked men enveloped him in a waterlogged embrace, letting him share in their drenched glory. The third photo was of the three of them, taken at Derek's house with his webcam. Derek was in his computer chair whilst Aaron and Spencer stood behind him, joking around and teasing the dark male. There and then Derek had vowed never to let his older or younger partner try his highly caffeinated energy drinks ever again. The photographs brought a smile to the unit chief's face, before slowly it faded and contorted into a despairing frown. Hayley had taken Jack from him…_

He could _never_ go back down that road again… not if he wanted to keep his son…

Getting into work in one piece and looking half decent that Monday following the dreadful weekend he had barely lived through was a miracle. A miracle that Aaron Hotchner was, unfortunately, unable to achieve. Instead he staggered in a little later than usual – which was ok because he was still earlier than everyone else except Reid – and hid up in his office. Later that morning he went down into the break room for coffee and noted about a dozen 'we WILL talk about this' looks from Rossi which probably meant Reid had told him of the state Aaron had been in when he entered the building. Traitor. He was halfway through pouring his seventh cup of coffee when he felt a dull ache in his chest as if his ribcage had turned into a nest of python, all twisting and writhing around his constricted lungs. Morgan was behind him. He acted like he didn't care – that Morgan being near him, behind him, accidentally brushing against him didn't bother him whatsoever… but it did… oh, god it did. It bothered him so much that he couldn't turn around and touch the other agent, caress his warm chocolate skin, feel the mans heart beat underneath his own rough hands… It drove him crazy that he hadn't seized the opportunity to kiss Spencer when they had said their goodbyes. That he could no longer take the gorgeous male into his arms and capture those soft lips with his, gaze into those beautiful brown orbs and tell them… tell them both that he…

Hours passed during his little 'meeting' with David. They talked, they laughed, they shared sentimental feelings – not that either would admit to it - but above all, Dave helped Aaron puzzle out his confused thoughts, and now they made perfect sense. Well, they were understandable. And they were perfect. Sense had nothing to do with it, really. The next day he went into his office with a new, _unbreakable_ resolve. Yes, he had said that many times, but that was because he was denying his true feelings. His resolve:  
He would rather die on his two feet than live down on his knees.  
He just couldn't get over them. He was in love with Derek and Spencer, every time he spared even the minutest of glances in their direction he felt like caving in, giving in to his desires and holding them close to him, feeling their breath tickle his neck and their lips against his skin. They made him feel pathetic at times, so incredibly weak… but he no longer cared. As much as it hurt to let them go, it hurts even more to know he let them go when he still loves them.

So the usually stoic unit chief gazed down into the busy bullpen and, seeing that Spencer was not in the bullpen, Aaron decided he would have to tackle his apologies and confessions separately, as he could wait no longer – even if he was at work. So, trembling with anticipation, Aaron called Derek up into his office, shutting the door behind them…

"_**Hurts so much to know the truth  
I am still in love with you"**_


	3. A Little Of Your Time

Yeah, I even labelled an Authors Note with a song title. But don't worry, this will be taken down and replaced with chapter 3, which is almost ready. I promise.

BUT! For now I need YOUR HELP.

I made a plan for this story, but that was many, MANY months ago. I have only just rediscovered the chapters (1,2 and half of 3) and edited through etc. So I'm no longer sure if my original plan is the right way to go. Here is the question:

Should there be Reid whumpage? I had plans that doing something mean to Reid could bring them together again BUT I may do a follow up of the story and be mean to Reid then... hey, I like being mean to Reid.

SO: Should there be meanness to Reid?  
If so, it may be minor, but please say if you would prefer something major.

And any comments or ideas are also, of course, 100% welcome!

The sooner I hear from you, the sooner I'll be able to update.

Thank you for reading!  
~RoseLaurel


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